Catnip
by Amiasha Ruri
Summary: The group is on... A roadtrip. XD Oh, what fun. Sidestory to Eien. EDITED CHAPTERS 1 & 2 UP!
1. Of roadtrips and plushie fights

**New A/N:** I was rereading this story, and I decided I didn't much like it. It didn't flow well, people where out of character for my fics, and it general was a mess. So I've rewritten this chapter and chapter 2.  
  
This chapter has only minor changes; mostly in the beginning. Changed a bit of dialouge and added more thoughts and such.   
  
That's about it for the new notes. As usual, I'm leaving the original notes in place.

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**A/N:** Baaaad me. I said I wouldn't write any side story with more than one chapter. [Sigh] But Itsumo is stressing me and I wanted to write something fun and amusing. This takes place just a little before Eien, probably about a month and a half, (though you don't have to read it to understand this), and is one of the random events that is briefly mentioned in one of the chapters. (No one ever mentioned a road trip, but they did mention other things that happened on the road trip. XD) This'll be a humor/action/adventure fic, since it's not going to be ALL humor (though I couldn't figure out what the secondary genre should be... General, I suppose, but whatever...)  
  
If anyone's wondering about the title of this fic... The working name was 'cartrip' which I kept reading as 'catnip'. So... There you have it. XD Besides, the infamous Mafdet'll be joining them once again. XD  
  
Warnings: Small amount of language, most likely.  
  
Disclaimer: I got Turn 16! But I don't own Yugioh itself. If I did, Yami torture would abound. XD

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Catnip; part 1  
by: Amiasha  
  
Yami was a bit confused, and slightly frightened. Sugoroku and Yuugi were looking far too happy, about something they hadn't told HIM. Which meant it was something he wasn't going to like.  
  
"Aibou, jiichan, what exactly are so happy about?" The spirit asked, tilting his head slightly to the side as he watched them continue bouncing about the living room.  
  
Yuugi turned toward him for a moment, grinning. "We're going on a roadtrip!"  
  
That just confused Yami more. "Roadtrip? What is a roadtrip?" He asked, head tilting farther.  
  
Sugoroku finally realized Yami was asking a question and quit his frolicking. He looked over at his oldest grandson as Yuugi ran up to his room. "A roadtrip is a trip that a lot of people take part in, where you all get in a car and go sightseeing. They're more than one day long, as well."  
  
Yami stared blankly. "I don't understand. We're going to drive around with no set destination in mind? In a car full of other people? What will happen to the gameshop? And when will we come back?"  
  
Sugoroku sweatdropped. Yami was far more adult than the man was used to seventeen-year-olds being. "Well... Yes. We're going to drive around with no destination in mind and with a bunch of other people. As for the gameshop, it'll simply be closed for awhile. And we'll come back in... A week to two weeks."  
  
Yami paled slightly. "Two weeks!?"  
  
Sugoroku blinked at him. "Is that a problem?"  
  
Yami stared. "Jiichan... Two weeks in a CAR with other people? I don't LIKE other people! Or cars!"  
  
Sugoroku mushroom sighed as Yami twitched. "They're not going to be STRANGERS." He said, blinking. "Yuugi's going to bring Joey, Tristan, Ryuuji, and Bakura. Tea wanted to come, but she has a family reunion and her dance classes are picking up more. It'll be a boys' trip."  
  
Yami paled slightly. 'Roadtrip without Tea? The voice of reason? The only intelligent, mature person in aibou's group of friends? What a nightmare...' Shaking himself from his thoughts, the spirit replied, "Is that supposed to make me feel better? I like Aibou and my's friends, yes, but I don't know if I can stand that much time with them."  
  
Sugoroku smiled at him, shaking his head slightly. "We won't be in the car all the time. We'll be staying at hotels, stopping at museums and tourist attractions, and all sorts of things. It'll be fun Yami, really. I'll even let you sit in the passenger's seat the whole trip, so you won't be crushed to death by the other boys." He said, laughing.  
  
'... I'm just not going to win...' Yami thought somewhat sadly, before sighing and giving in. "Alright.I'll go along with this. But just how long were you planning this without telling me!?"  
  
Sugoroku sweatdropped. "... A few weeks?"  
  
At the death glare from the boy, Sugoroku laughed nervously. "What don't you go help Yuugi pack?"  
  
The spirit complied, heading for the stairs, but his death glare lingered until he was out of sight.  
  
A little annoyed, Yami stalked up the stairs, but nearly fell to his death when he tripped over a certain redhaired kitten who had decided the stairs were a good place to sleep.  
  
Mafdet yowled, sounding quite offended, and glared at Yami. Said spirit's eyes were wide as he clung to the railing, even though he had regained his footing. Slowly he turned his attention to the tiny kitten, who had stopped looking annoyed and now looked concerned, and he smiled at her. She mewed happily and ran off down the stairs.  
  
Shaking his head, Yami continued up to the room he and Yuugi shared. Yuugi was sitting in the middle of the floor with clothes and games everywhere, and a few bags scattered around. The younger boy looked up at Yami and grinned. "Hi Yami!"  
  
Yami smiled back, wondering why Yuugi was so hyper, and sat down on the floor next to him. "Jiichan sent me to help pack."  
  
Yuugi shrugged. "Go ahead and help if you'd like. I'm trying to pack games and clothes for both of us. It's not too hard to pack for you, since you don't have all that many clothes, but I've got a ton and I have no idea what to bring."  
  
The Egyptian glanced at the clothes, than at Yuugi. "How far do cars take you in two weeks? Will there be a significant temperature change, or can you assume it'd be safe to pack clothes for the weather it is now?"   
  
Yuugi looked over at him and giggled. "You're way too logical, Yami." He teased, poking the other boy in the side.  
  
Yami poked him back. "You said I could help, so I was helping." He replied, smiling.  
  
"Well, fine then." Yuugi said, giggling again. Placing a few articles of clothing in a suitcase, Yuugi looked back at his dark. "How long can you stay out?" He asked.  
  
Yami thought for a second. "Probably until 10:00 or so. It's 4:00 right now, yes?"  
  
Yuugi nodded. "Yep. You've been out since 8:00 this morning, so if you don't have to go back into the Puzzle until 10:00, that'll be fourteen hours!" The boy exclaimed. "Wow, that's a lot longer than last month."  
  
Yami nodded in agreement. "Yes it is. As long as I go into the Puzzle every night, I hsould be able to be out every day of this ordeal."  
  
Yuugi laughed. "Ordeal? Come on Yami, this'll be fun."  
  
Yami sweatdropped. "I can't see how, aibou."  
  
"That's 'cause you're closeminded." Yuugi responded, bursting into giggles as his dark made an insulted face.  
  
"What?" The spirit asked, sounding offended. "Closeminded? I am not! I'm just logical." He said, nodding and crossing his arms.  
  
Yuugi giggled at him again, tossing a stuffed pryamid at the older boy playfully. Yami cought it, and blinked absently at the plush toy. "... Aibou, where did you get this thing?"  
  
Yuugi shrugged. "I have no clue, actually." He admitted, giggling yet again. "I wanna' know how it stays in that shape."  
  
Yami nodded his agreement, before tossing the pyramid right back at Yuugi. It smacked the teen in the face, and then fell into his lap. Yuugi looked at it blankly while Yami smirked, before turning and pouncing on his dark. "You threw a plushie at me!"  
  
"You threw it at me first!" Yami replied, shoving at Yuugi lightly. "Just because I can actually throw..."  
  
Yuugi giggled and sat up, letting go of the spirit. "You whine a lot, you know that?" He teased, waving a finger at the the other boy. "I mean, a LOT."  
  
"I do not!" Yami responded, looking vaguely offended. "You whine far more than I do."  
  
"No I don't!"  
  
"Yes you do, aibou."  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Do."  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Do."  
  
"Don't-"  
  
"I almost hesitate to ask what you two are arguing over." Sugoroku commented, sweatdropping as he stared at his two grandchildren from the doorway of their room.  
  
Both boys looked up and blushed slightly, which was very amusing to see from the two at the same time. Sugoroku chuckled at them, as they both looked like they'd been caught in an embarrassing moment. Yuugi opened his mouth to respond, but shut it again as Yami calmly raised a hand and pointed at the younger boy. "He started it, jiichan."  
  
"I WHAT!?" Yuugi exclaimed, starign at the former Pharaoh with a shocked expression. Yami turned his head to look at him, a devilish smirk on his face. "Oh you're so dead, Yami. Again, dead."  
  
Yami lept to his feet, striking a pose, which was a bit uncharacteristic for him. "You'll never catch me!" He proclaimed, before rushing out of the room in a flurry of gold and blue. Yuugi stared after him for a moment, before jumping to his feet as well. "Just watch me!" He replied, before tearing out of the room as well.  
  
Sugoroku stared after them as the dustcloud settled and papers stopped flying everywhere. He blinked a few times, before looking up and shaking his fist, apparently trying to complain to a higher power. "... I still want to know what I did to deserve them!"  
  
Loud cackling from one of the boys and then some thumping came from downstairs, and Sugoroku sweatdropped again. "They're going to be the death of me, I just know it."

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**New A/N:** Much better.  
  
_Original word count:_ 1294  
  
_Revised word count:_ 1397

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**A/N:** I adore cartrip fics. XD So I had to write one. Besides, as anyone who's read Eien knows... I love writing hotel scenes. XD  
  
And don't worry, Yami B'll show up. He and Yami aren't as friendly at this time either, so it'll be interesting. XD  
  
Please review, people! 


	2. Of alarm clocks and rain

**New A/N:** Like last chapter, this one has been revised. Mostly took pointless stuff out, made the chapter more coherant, etc. It got more changes for two reasons, one, because it's longer, and and two, because it needed it more. XD So I suggest reading this one over. Considering I had forgotten Mafdet before.

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**A/N:** Bah, I know, I should be working on Itsumo. But whatever.  
  
**Starlit Hope:** [Laughs] Roadtrips are fuuuun, and glad you like. Thanks for the review.   
  
**Ryuujin Dragon King:** Glad you like. And I'll work on Itsumo... Eventually. XD  
  
**Silver Nightingale:** Glad you're liking. As for what will happen in the cartrip? Baaaad things. XD Thanks for the review!  
  
**Silvie:** Sugoroku is rather cursed, isn't he? XD But I'm glad you like. Thanks for the review.   
  
**sugahigh:** Glad you like and thanks for the review.  
  
**Shadowspirits:** Meh, I know what you mean about the spam blockers. Glad you like, though.   
  
**Disclaimers:** I don't own it. I do have five cats, though.  
  
**Warnings:** None?

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Catnip; part 2  
by: Amiasha  
  
Yuugi yawned, rolling over and pulling the blankets tighter around himself. The moment he'd gotten comfortable again, an earsplitting shreiking came from the alarm, followed by an identical shreiking inside his head. Yuugi soon joined in the shreiking from the intensity of the noise, and fumbled for the alarm.  
  
The boy mangaed to turn it off, and soon the screaming in his head stopped. Yuugi stopped as well, sitting up, before sighing and hanging his head. /... Do you HAVE to do that?/  
  
Yami's sheepish voice floated through the link. ... Sorry, aibou. It scares me.  
  
Yuugi started giggling. /The great Yami... Terrified by an alarm clock. Well, we're leaving today, so no more alarm for awhile. Maybe I can get a new one while we're on the trip. One that won't scare you so badly./  
  
Yami frowned mentally. It's not funny, aibou.He whined. That is the most horrid noise I've ever heard.  
  
Yuugi's giggles intensified, as he swung his feet out of bed and got up. /That's how it wakes people up. Otherwise I'd sleep right through it./  
  
Yami sniffed distainfully. How? Don't you wake up at the same time every day on your own?  
  
Yuugi sweatdropped. "No." He answered, switiching to his physical voice instead of his mental one.  
  
The spirit sighed, but as he took a look at the clock one of his eyebrows arched. ... Why is it 4:30 in the morning?  
  
"Jiichan wants us to get an 'early start'." Yuugi replied, small air quotes accompaning his statement and giving Yami the impression the boy didn't want to be up either.  
  
When do we leave?  
  
Yuugi fumbled for some clothes, yanking a shirt off a hanger and then fishing around on the floor for his socks and some pants. "In about half an hour."  
  
Well, I'm sleeping until then. Wake me when we get to breakfast.  
  
"That'll be like... Five minutes from now." Yuugi commented.  
  
Then I get an extra five minutes of sleep.Yami replied casually.  
  
Yuugi sighed then laughed, managing to find enough clothes that hadn't been packed to change. He supposed he should have laid out clothes the day before... But he didn't.  
  
After changing, Yuugi grabbed his bags and headed downstairs. He also nearly tripped on Mafdet, who was again on the stairs, before making it to the table. Sugoroku was cooking eggs, bacon, and other Western breakfast foods.  
  
Reaching out to his link with Yami and sensing the spirit was indeed asleep again, Yuugi mentally poked him. /Yami! Wake up!/ He chirped.  
  
Unintelligible mumbling reached Yuugi's ears, and he giggled. /Yami! Up! Food!/  
  
I'm getting up...The spirit's voice came finally, sounding annoyed.   
  
Yuugi giggled again, waiting patiently until Yami materialized next to him. The Egyptian's hair was a bit frazzled on one side, as if he'd been sleeping on it. Which he probably had been.  
  
Yami sat down in his seat and crossed his arms on the surface of the table, setting his chin on them. "Why must we be up so early?"  
  
Sugoroku turned away from the stove for a moment and smiled at him. "We want to get an early start, don't we?" He asked, looking back at the food and stirring the scrambled eggs, not realizing that Yuugi had made fun of those exact words five minutes earlier.  
  
"Normally, I would agree." Yami replied, as Yuugi bounced off to find his shoes. "But this is excessive. It's... 4:45 in the morning. It's still DARK."  
  
Sugoroku chuckled at him. "Not a morning person, are you?"  
  
Yami made a face at him before turning his head sideways on his arms and shutting his eyes.  
  
Suddenly, Yuugi came dashing back into the room, doing something of a flying leap into his chair and causing the chair to slide across the floor to smack... Straight into Yami.  
  
Both boys tumbled onto the floor in a tangle of blue uniforms and tri-colored hair, landing with a thump. Sugoroku, worried that that two had hurt themselves or each other, rushed over to check on them... To see Yuugi spologizing feverently to Yami, who looked a bit dazed. Sugoroku sweatdropped, kneeling down next to his grandchildren and pulling the swirly-eyed Yami to his feet. "Hey, Yami. Are you alright?"  
  
Yami shook his head rapidly to clear it and then looked at Sugoroku, giving a smile. Sugoroku sighed and let go of him, shaking his head as he went back over to make sure the food didn't burn. The two boys rightened their chairs and sat down again, and without even turning around, Sugoroku began a lecture in a bored sounding voice, having aparently done this many times before.  
  
"Yuugi, how many times have I told you not to fly into your chair? This time, you can actually see WHY I tell you not to; it can be dangerous. What if you'd hurt Yami or yourself, or both? Or..."  
  
The boys looked at each other, sweatdropping as the man continued talking. Sugoroku sometimes got a bit carried away.   
  
Yami just shook his head slightly. "Jiichan," He inturrupted, "I'm fine. Don't worry about it. After all, we can't expect aibou to be graceful. It's just not in his nature."  
  
Yuugi gaped at him. "Why... You..." He snatched a long gold bang, yanking playfully but not hard enough to hurt the spirit. "That's mean! You're not exactly graceful either!"  
  
"I'm more graceful than YOU." Yami responded, one eye shut due to the pulling on his hair. "I don't manage to knock over my chair in addition to someone else's."  
  
"Yeah, but you've fallen down the stairs three times in the past two days." Yuugi replied, smirking.  
  
"That was Mafdet's fault!" The Egyptian protested, putting his hand on Yuugi's to get the other boy to release him.  
  
Yuugi did so, but not before he gave the spirit a light shove on the shoulder. "You can fall down them without Mafdet! She just helps you along!"  
  
Yami shoved back. "That's not true!" He said childishly.  
  
The two soon had engaged in a shoving match, as Sugoroku watched them and sighed. It was quite different having two children instead of one. It wasn't a bad thing, and Sugoroku loved Yami and would never want him to leave for any reason, but it had been much quieter with one boy.  
  
Then again, that had been because Yuugi hadn't been very happy. When Yami had come into his life, along with Yugui's other friends, the younger boy had become more cheerful and animated. Once Yami had begun to take a solid form and had been introduced to Sugoroku, Yuugi had been simply ecstatic. Yami, too, had lost a bit of the sadness that had seemed to surround him when Sugoroku had met him.  
  
The man smiled as the nearly identical boys contunued shoving and trading insults, but decided to break it up. "Cut it out, boys. I've told you not to roughhouse, too."  
  
The both smiled sheepishly at him, then Yami batted his eyeslashes witch sent them both into a fit of giggles. Sugoroku joined in, amused at the spirit's antics.  
  
After they had calmed themselves Sugoroku told the boys to set the table, which they did, and they all ate. Afterwards, they gathered up the bags, ushered Mafdet into her cat carrier, and fetched shoes and coats.  
  
Yami slipped his boots on, finishing before the other two members of his family, and went to glance out the window. It was very dark still, seeing as how it was about 5:00 in the morning, and it was pouring the rain. Yami shivered as he watched it, pulling the hood of his coat up. The rain was pretty, but only when he was indoors. He didn't really want to go outside in it.  
  
"Are we ready to go?" Sugoroku asked, looking around to make sure they had all their bags and their kitten. The two boys nodded, so Sugoroku turned off the lights and led them out of the house.  
  
"It's raining." Yuugi commented, puncuated by a yowl from Mafdet as she added her displeasure. Yami sighed and held up her carrier so he could pet her through the door.  
  
Sugoroku made his way over to his van, opening the back and putting in his bags, and gesturing for the boys to do the same. They did so as Sugoroku unlocked the doors, then claimed their spots in the van.  
  
Yami sat up front in the passenger's seat, Mafdet was released from her carrier and happily laid in Yami's lap, Yuugi sat in the middle row of seats, and Sugoroku was of course driving.  
  
"Where are we going first?" Yami asked, idly fingering the silver ankh pendant he wore with one hand and petting Mafdet with the other.  
  
"To pick up Joey." Sugoroku responded, turning on the car. The radio popped on as well, playing a song by Onitsuka Chihiro on low volume.  
  
Yami nodded and then slouched, laying his head against the cool glass of the window and listenign to the song. He was about to attempt to fall asleep again when Yuugi piped up.  
  
"Where are we going after we pick up everyone?" He asked eagerly, leaning forward slightly.  
  
"Well, there's a small museum a few hours' drive away." Sugoroku responded. "We could make it there by three, look around, and then find a hotel."  
  
Yami perked up slightly. 'An art museum? That could be interesting.'  
  
Yuugi seemed excited about that idea too. "That'd be fun! But Joey's going to make lewd commentas about the art, I just know it." He added, giggling.  
  
Yami sighed. "That's because he's an imbecile."  
  
"That's not nice!" Yuugi responded in a scolding tone. "Joey's our friend!"   
  
"But it's true, aibou." Yami countered, smirking. "The only one of your friends who has the slightest spackling of intelligence besides Tea is Tristan. Oh, and Bakura. But his dark is a moron as well."  
  
"Now now, Yami, be good." Sugoroku chided, resisting the urge to laugh. "We know that even with your complaining about their intelligence, you really do like your friends."  
  
Yami scoffed quietly, laying his head back against the window. He truely did like his friends. But they grated on his nerves much of the time.  
  
They made it to the building that held Joey's apartment soon afterward, where they parked outside. Thne Sugoroku had a bit of a problem. "...Yami, I don't want you to get back out in the rain, so would you be alright if Yuugi and I went in to get Joey and left you here for a few minutes?"  
  
Yami knew why Sugoroku didn't want him coming; a month ago he had fallen very ill with a cold that had quickly progressed into pnemonia, and they had discovered the spirit had a life-threatening allergy to medication of any sort. Sugoroku didn't want to take the chance the boy would catch something from going out into the rain unnessisarily.  
  
"I'll be fine here, jiichan." Yami responded, petting his cat. "I've got Mafdet, and my magic."  
  
Sugoroku chuckled at the idea of Mafdet being something helpful, but nodded. "Altight. If you're sure."  
  
"I am. I'll be fine. I'm seventeen." Yami assured him, though he didn't feel as confident as he sounded.  
  
/You'll still have the link, remember./ Yuugi added as he and Sugoroku got out of the car. /Contact me if you need anything. It'll just take a minute or two to get Joey before we come back./  
  
"Keep the doors locked, Yami. We'll be right back." Sugoroku said, before shutting the driver's side door and leading Yuugi into the apartment. Yami did as he was told, locking the doors and then slouching in his seat again as the feelign off lonliness set in.  
  
Mafdet lifted her head, mewoing lightly at him before returning to her nap. Yami smiled, remembering he wasn't completely alone.  
  
He turned his gaze to outside, looking forlornly through past his reflection and out the window at the pouring rain and the darkness. There was a beautifl contrast between the rain and the darkness, but it would be far more beautiful if he was inside, preferably with something chocolate.  
  
The rain didn't bother him as much as the darkness did. Despite his name, the boy had a fear of the dark. It wasn't a baseless fear, however; he had many reasons for it. The countless years locked in the unending darkness of the Puzzle came to his mind first, and after that, the monsters of the Shadow Realm.  
  
Darkness meant lonliness to the spirit, due to the time spent in the Puzzle, and when it was dark and he was alone, it created a feeling that no one would ever return to him. He shuddered involuntarily, scratching Mafdet's ears and fidling with the ankh on his necklace again. The small silver ankh had been a gift from the group, along with Mafdet, for the anniversary of when Yuugi had solved the Puzzle. It stood for life, and with that, his friends.  
  
A loud clicking noise from behind him caused the spirit to jump in surprise, eyes widening as he whirled in his seat to see what had caused the sound. Mafdet howled in annoyance at the spirit's movement.  
  
The sound had been the back of the van opening. Joey was smiling at him, putting a bag in the vehicle. "Jumpy much, Yami?"  
  
Yami, still calming himself, frowned at the golden haired boy. Day one of the trip, one hour in... Yami wondered whether his grandfather would change his mind and take him back home.  
  
Sugoroku and Yuugi got back into their seats, and Joey joined Yuugi in the middle row of the van. Immediatly he began to whine. "Why does Yami get the front seat?"  
  
"Because he's oldest." Sugoroku answered in a monotone, used to Joey's whining.  
  
"No fair." Joey complained, flopping back in mock dejection. Two seconds later he was sitting forward again, jabbering away. "Who're we gonna pick up next?"  
  
Sugoroku glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Next we're going to pick up Tristan, then Ryuuji, then Bakura." He replied.  
  
Joey grinned, flopping back again. "'Dis is gonna be fun!"  
  
Yuugi giggled and nodded. "Sightseeing, and going to museums, and staying at hotels! I'm really excited."  
  
Yami, meanwhile, had resumed his position with his head against the window and Mafdet had settled onto his lap again. The spirit was again doing his best to fall asleep, until Joey piped up again.  
  
"Lemme guess, you're not enjoyin' this at all." The blond said, smirking at Yami. The spirit turned to look at him.  
  
"What was your first clue?"  
  
Joey put his hands behind his head, yawning. "Dunno. Just sounds like you. You don't like anythin'." He teased.  
  
Yami glared lightly. "I do so like things. I just like things that aren't pointless."  
  
Sugoroku chuckled. "Consider this a geography and history lesson. We can throw in some sociology and stuff too, if it makes it feel more worth it." He commented, smiling at the spirit.  
  
Yami sighed heavily and leaned his head against the window yet again. This was going to be a long trip.

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**New A/N:** Much, much better. Now I can start on the new chapter.  
  
_Original Word Count:_ 2582  
  
_Revised Word Count:_ 2521

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**A/N:** XD Tada. Please review, and I'll go try and work on Itsumo...


End file.
